09-03-26

The winners of the 26th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards were announced this evening at a ceremony at the London Palladium hosted by Gina and Mazz Murray. The awards, held in association with AudienceView, remain the only major UK theatre honours decided entirely by theatregoers.

This year’s ceremony was dominated by Paddington The Musical, which equalled the record for the most wins in WhatsOnStage Awards history with nine awards. The Savoy Theatre production matched the total previously achieved by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Miss Saigon, while also setting a new benchmark for the most awards won by a new musical.

The production collected awards across performance and creative categories, including Best New Musical and Best Professional Debut Performance for Timi Akinyosade. Director Luke Sheppard was also recognised for his staging, alongside several members of the production’s design and creative teams.

The revival of Evita at the London Palladium received five awards, including Best Musical Revival and Best Performer in a Musical for Rachel Zegler. Zegler also received the award for Best Concert Event for her live performance at the London Palladium.

In the play categories, the Bridge Theatre’s production of Richard II led the field with two wins. Jonathan Bailey was named Best Performer in a Play, while the production itself won Best Play Revival.

The award for Best New Play went to The Comedy About Spies, written by Henry Lewis and Henry Shields and presented by Mischief. The company has built a strong track record at the WhatsOnStage Awards following the success of previous productions.

Other performance honours included Amber Davies winning Best Supporting Performer in a Musical for The Great Gatsby, Stephen Fry winning Best Supporting Performer in a Play for The Importance of Being Earnest, and Emma Kingston receiving Best Takeover for her performance as Elphaba in Wicked.

The audience-voted Best West End Show award went to Les Misérables, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in London this year.

Regional theatre was also recognised, with 13 Going on 30 The Musical at Manchester Opera House winning Best Regional Production. Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Young Frankenstein received the award for Best Studio Production.

A new category introduced this year, Best Child Performance, was awarded to the National Theatre production The Land of the Living, recognising the performances of Platon Filatov, Darcy Tosun, Anton Vehring and Artie Wilkinson-Hunt.

Playwright James Graham received the AudienceView Services to UK Theatre Award, recognising an exceptional year of work which included Punch, Boys From the Blackstuff, and Make It Happen, alongside the upcoming television adaptation of Dear England.

The ceremony featured a series of live performances accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra, with numbers from 13 Going on 30 The Musical, Disney’s Hercules, Paddington The Musical, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and Young Frankenstein. The event was co-produced with creative directors Alex Parker and Damian Sandys.

Now in their 26th year, the WhatsOnStage Awards continue to provide a unique snapshot of the productions and performances that have resonated most strongly with theatre audiences across the UK.

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WINNERS – WHATS ON STAGE AWARDS 2026

Best Performer in a Play
Jonathan Bailey – Richard II, Bridge Theatre

Best Performer in a Musical
Rachel Zegler – Evita, The London Palladium

Best Supporting Performer in a Play
Stephen Fry – The Importance of Being Earnest, Noël Coward Theatre

Best Supporting Performer in a Musical
Amber Davies – The Great Gatsby, London Coliseum

Best Professional Debut
Timi Akinyosade – Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre

Best Takeover
Emma Kingston – Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre

Best Child Performance
The Land of the Living – National Theatre
Platon Filatov, Darcy Tosun, Anton Vehring, Artie Wilkinson-Hunt

Best New Play
The Comedy About Spies – Noël Coward Theatre

Best New Musical
Paddington The Musical – Savoy Theatre

Best Play Revival
Richard II – Bridge Theatre

Best Musical Revival
Evita – The London Palladium

Best West End Show
Les Misérables – Sondheim Theatre

Best Regional Production
13 Going on 30 The Musical – Manchester Opera House

Best Concert Event
Rachel Zegler: Live at the London Palladium

Best Studio Production
Young Frankenstein – Hope Mill Theatre

Best Direction
Luke Sheppard – Paddington The Musical

Best Choreography
Fabian Aloise – Evita

Best Set Design
Tom Pye – Paddington The Musical

Best Costume Design
Gabrielle Slade and Tahra Zafar – Paddington The Musical

Best Lighting Design
Jon Clark – Evita

Best Sound Design
Gareth Owen – Paddington The Musical

Best Video Design
Jamie Lloyd, Nick Ward and David Anderson – Evita

Best Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Design
Campbell Young Associates – Paddington The Musical

Best Music Direction / Supervision
Matt Brind – Paddington The Musical

Best Casting Direction
Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting, Nick Hockaday and Annabelle Davis – Paddington The Musical

AudienceView Services to UK Theatre Award
James Graham

Get more info from the official site HERE